Packing machine having endless driving device

ABSTRACT

A packing machine includes a frame, a first conveying belt, a second conveying belt, an intermediate conveying belt mounted between the first conveying belt and the second conveying belt, and an endless driving device enclosed around a periphery of the intermediate conveying belt. Thus, the endless driving device drives a package film to provide a tension on an article to be packaged, so that the article is packaged by the film closely and tightly, thereby enhancing the packaging effect of the packing machine.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a packing machine, and more particularly to a packing machine having an endless driving device for driving a film to provide a tension on an article to be packaged, so that the article is packaged by the film closely and tightly, thereby enhancing the packaging effect of the packing machine.

2. Description of the Related Art

A conventional packing machine 1 in accordance with the prior art shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 comprises a frame 8, two rollers 2 mounted on the frame 8 for tensioning a film 6, a conveying system 4A mounted on the frame 8 for conveying an article 3 to be packaged, and a pneumatic cylinder 5 mounted on the frame 8 and having a piston rod 50 for pushing the article 3 toward the film 6. Thus, the pneumatic cylinder 5 pushes the article 3 toward the film 6 to move the article 3 from the position as shown in FIG. 15 to the position as shown in FIG. 16, so that the article 3 is wrapped by the film 6. Then, the film 6 is cut by a cutter (not shown) and is processed by a heat press (not shown), thereby packaging the article 3 in the film 6.

However, the article 3 is hit by the piston rod of the pneumatic cylinder 5, so that the article 3 is easily vibrated, thereby affecting package of the article 3. In addition, the conveying system 4A has to stop moving when the piston rod of the pneumatic cylinder 5 is moved forward to push the article 3 and start moving after the piston rod of the pneumatic cylinder 5 is retracted backward, so that the packaging work is performed intermittently, thereby decreasing the working efficiency.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a packing machine having an endless driving device for driving a package film to provide a tension on an article to be packaged, so that the article is packaged by the film closely and tightly, thereby enhancing the packaging effect of the packing machine.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a packing machine, wherein the film is driven by the drive bar to encompass the article, thereby packaging the article in a winding manner.

A further objective of the present invention is to provide a packing machine, wherein the drive bar is pressed by the flexible belts to apply a tension on the film, so that the film is stretched to wrap the surface of the article closely and smoothly.

A further objective of the present invention is to provide a packing machine, wherein the second end of the film will not detach from the drive bar by pressing of the flexible belts.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a packing machine, comprising:

-   -   a frame;     -   a first conveying belt mounted on a first end of the frame;     -   a second conveying belt mounted on a second end of the frame;     -   an intermediate conveying belt mounted on a mediate portion of         the frame and located between the first conveying belt and the         second conveying belt; and     -   an endless driving device mounted on the mediate portion of the         frame and enclosed around a periphery of the intermediate         conveying belt.

Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a packing machine in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic operational view of the packing machine as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic operational view of the packing machine as shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a schematic operational view of the packing machine as shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a schematic operational view of the packing machine as shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a schematic operational view of the packing machine as shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a partially packed article in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a wholly packed article in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an endless driving device of the packing machine in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a locally enlarged view of the endless driving device of the packing machine as shown in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a plan view of a conventional packing machine in accordance with the prior art; and

FIG. 12 is a schematic operational view of the conventional packing machine as shown in FIG. 11.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings and initially to FIG. 1, a packing machine in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a rectangular frame 10, a first conveying belt 11 mounted on a first end of the frame 10, a sensing device 102 mounted on the first conveying belt 11, a second conveying belt 13 mounted on a second end of the frame 10, an intermediate conveying belt 12 mounted on a mediate portion of the frame 10 and located between the first conveying belt 11 and the second conveying belt 13, an endless driving device 4 mounted on the mediate portion of the frame 10 and enclosed around a periphery of the intermediate conveying belt 12, a storage shelf 14 mounted in and located at the second end of the frame 10, a film roll 15 mounted on the storage shelf 14, a delivery device 16 mounted in and located at the mediate portion of the frame 10, a plurality of tension rods 17 mounted in and located at the mediate portion of the frame 10, a plurality of delivery rollers 18 mounted in and located at the first end of the frame 10, a film cutting device 20 mounted in and located at the first end of the frame 10, and an inclined arranged film conveying device 30 mounted in and located at the first end of the frame 10.

Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10 with reference to FIG. 1, the endless driving device 4 includes two symmetric loop-shaped chain units 40 movably mounted on the frame 10 and located at two opposite sides of the intermediate conveying belt 12 to move around the periphery of the intermediate conveying belt 12, a drive bar 41 mounted between the two chain units 40 to move therewith, two transverse rods 43 mounted on the frame 10 and located above the two chain units 40, and two flexible belts 42 each mounted between the two transverse rods 43 and each located above the two chain units 40.

The endless driving device 4 further includes a plurality of co-operating sprockets 44 mounted on the frame 10 and located at the two opposite sides of the intermediate conveying belt 12 to mesh with the two chain units 40 for moving the two chain units 40, a drive chain 46 mounted on the frame 10 and having an end mounted on either one of the sprockets 44 for rotating the sprockets 44 to move the two chain units 40, and two opposite plates 45 each mounted on the frame 10 and each rested on a respective one of the two chain units 40 to guide movement of the two chain units 40.

In operation, referring to FIGS. 1-9, a film 100 extended from the film roll 15 mounted on the storage shelf 14 passes through the delivery device 16, the tension rods 17 and the delivery rollers 18 and reaches the film cutting device 20 as shown in FIG. 1.

When an article 101 to be packed is placed on the first conveying belt 11 and is moved toward the intermediate conveying belt 12, the sensing device 102 detects movement of the article 101, so that the film 100 is delivered by the film conveying device 30 to move toward the intermediate conveying belt 12 until a first end of the film 100 is inserted into a gap between the first conveying belt 11 and the intermediate conveying belt 12 as shown in FIG. 2. At this time, the film conveying device 30 produces a vacuum suction by operation of a vacuum pump 31 mounted in the frame 10 to attract the film 100 on the film conveying device 30, so that the film 100 is delivered by the film conveying device 30 smoothly.

When the article 101 reaches the position as shown in FIG. 2, the bottom of the front end of the article 101 presses the first end of the film 100, so that the article 101 and the film 100 are moved forward synchronously as shown in FIG. 3. At the same time, the film cutting device 20 is operated to cut the film 100 as shown in FIG. 3, so that the film 100 having a determined length is moved forward with the article 101.

After the rear end of the article 101 passes through the gap between the first conveying belt 11 and the intermediate conveying belt 12, the chain units 40 of the endless driving device 4 are driven by rotation of the sprockets 44 to move around the periphery of the intermediate conveying belt 12, so that the drive bar 41 is moved by the chain units 40 to drive a second end of the film 100 to move upward as shown in FIG. 4. In such a manner, the film 100 is driven by the drive bar 41 to encompass the article 101, thereby packaging the article 101 in a winding manner.

When the drive bar 41 is moved to reach the flexible belts 42, the drive bar 41 is pressed by the flexible belts 42 to apply a tension on the film 100, so that the film 100 is stretched to wrap the surface of the article 101 closely and smoothly as shown in FIG. 4. In addition, the second end of the film 100 will not detach from the drive bar 41 by pressing of the flexible belts 42.

At this time, before the front end of the article 101 passes through the gap between the intermediate conveying belt 12 and the second conveying belt 13, the second end of the film 100 is driven by the drive bar 41 into the gap between the intermediate conveying belt 12 and the second conveying belt 13 as shown in FIG. 5, so that when the front end of the article 101 passes through the gap between the intermediate conveying belt 12 and the second conveying belt 13, the second end of the film 100 is bent and is rested on the bottom of the front end of the article 101 as shown in FIG. 6. Thus, the first and second ends of the film 100 overlap each other at the bottom of the front end of the article 101 as shown in FIG. 7, so that the article 101 is closely enclosed by the film 100. Finally, the article 101 is delivered by the second conveying belt 13 to perform a contraction package process, thereby wholly wrapping and packing the article 101 in the film 100 as shown in FIG. 8.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claim or claims will cover such modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the invention. 

1. A packing machine, comprising: a frame; a first conveying belt mounted on a first end of the frame; a second conveying belt mounted on a second end of the frame; an intermediate conveying belt mounted on a mediate portion of the frame and located between the first conveying belt and the second conveying belt; and an endless driving device mounted on the mediate portion of the frame and enclosed around a periphery of the intermediate conveying belt.
 2. The packing machine in accordance with claim 1, wherein the endless driving device includes two symmetric loop-shaped chain units movably mounted on the frame and located at two opposite sides of the intermediate conveying belt to move around the periphery of the intermediate conveying belt, and a drive bar mounted between the two chain units to move therewith.
 3. The packing machine in accordance with claim 2, wherein the endless driving device further includes two transverse rods mounted on the frame and located above the two chain units, and two flexible belts each mounted between the two transverse rods and each located above the two chain units.
 4. The packing machine in accordance with claim 2, wherein the endless driving device further includes a plurality of co-operating sprockets mounted on the frame and located at the two opposite sides of the intermediate conveying belt to mesh with the two chain units for moving the two chain units.
 5. The packing machine in accordance with claim 4, wherein the endless driving device further includes a drive chain mounted on the frame and having an end mounted on either one of the sprockets for rotating the sprockets to move the two chain units.
 6. The packing machine in accordance with claim 2, wherein the endless driving device further includes two opposite plates each mounted on the frame and each rested on a respective one of the two chain units to guide movement of the two chain units.
 7. The packing machine in accordance with claim 1, wherein the drive bar is movable between a first position where the drive bar is spaced from the flexible belts and a second position where the drive bar is pressed by the flexible belts.
 8. The packing machine in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a storage shelf mounted in and located at the second end of the frame, a film roll mounted on the storage shelf, a delivery device mounted in and located at the mediate portion of the frame, a plurality of tension rods mounted in and located at the mediate portion of the frame, and a plurality of delivery rollers mounted in and located at the first end of the frame.
 9. The packing machine in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a sensing device mounted on the first conveying belt. 